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Having a bike share program at UNC Charlotte has been in the works for YEARS. The wait is finally over; Charlotte Wheels is live! Ten rack corrals were installed and 50 Gotcha Bikes arrived last week. Students discovered them and began riding almost immediately.

About the bikes

The first thing riders notice is the quality of the bicycles. They are sturdy without being too heavy, beautifully balanced, and have both coaster and hand brakes. Instead of a chain, the bikes are belt driven and have Shirmano three-speed internal gears for taking on campus hills with surprising ease. A basket with bungee cords secures books and packages and safety lights illuminate both front and rear. And no one who was ever a kid can resist the thumb-ringable bell.

How it works

Accessing Charlotte Wheels is easy. Bikes can be reserved directly from the computer on the back of the bike or through the Social Bicycles app.

Anyone can create an account to use the program. Two pricing plans* are available:

Point-to-point, which allows for 60 minutes ride time per day with no membership fee, and

Lifestyle, a $30/year membership that gives two hours of ride time per day.

Here's an example of point-to-point use. A student, we'll call him Norm, reserves a bike that's parked at the corral between Smith and Prospector via app or bike keypad. He enters his PIN to unlock the bike. Norm's intent is to ride up to CRI for a class that starts in an hour. As he glides down Craver Road, he decides there's time for a coffee at the Student Union Starbucks. Norm activates the "hold" feature on the bike to stop the clock for up to 30 minutes and locks up the bike. One latte and a little while later, he has ended his ride and locked the bike at the Grigg/EPIC corral. His time with the bike was 55 minutes. The cost to Norm was $0.

Convenient, eco-friendly and fun

Bike share will be a boon to resident students, commuters, staff, and visitors alike. PaTs Transportation Manager, Helena Connors, is excited to see the program finally in motion. "Not only will Charlotte Wheels offer a new mode of transportation to get around campus, it will open up new places to explore — like the Greenway."

Jerry Mann, avid cyclist and former director of the Popp Martin Student Union, interrupted his retirement to help PaTS launch the program. "Students, faculty and staff now have the freedom to pick up a bike at a convenient location," he said, "and immediately travel around campus at a low cost, while also burning calories and utilizing non-fossil fuel transportation."

Several groups and departments helped bring the dream of bike sharing to UNC Charlotte. They include PaTS and Business Services, Facilities Management Planning and Grounds units and the Office of Sustainability. Special thanks go to students from the Charlotte Green Initiative, who provided grant funds and more importantly, the inspiration and impetus to bring Charlotte Wheels to campus.

Important safety note: Helmet use is strongly advised. For those who do not own a helmet, Bikeline of Charlotte, 8528 University City Blvd., (in shopping center across from main entrance of campus) offers quality helmets and will provide proper fitting.

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We loved seing this on Twitter! Thanks for sharing @UNCC_MAS

Norm may have been first to ride, but #UTOP17 has done plenty of test rides since!!!

Soon, you will need your 49er ID card to access gated parking decks and lots. Parking permissions are now linked to the 49er ID cards.

Gated decks and lots are getting new license plate recognition technology (LPR) equipment. Until installation and calibration is complete, your new 49er ID card will be the only way you can enter and exit the gated decks and lots where your permit allows you to park*. Tapping your card at a contactless reader will raise the gates for entry and exit. Look for signs at deck and lot entrances that indicate when the ID card requirement will begin. After the new system is fully operational, you should still keep your 49er ID card with you to prompt gates if LPR ever fails to read your plate.

Unclear on how license plate recognition and virtual permits will function? Watch this short video:

Permits are not enforced on weekends after 10:00 PM Friday until 5:00 AM Monday and when the PaTS Call Center is closed.

Moving out? Reminder about loading and unloading

For short term parking by a building to carry something in or out, call the PaTS Communication Center at 704-687-0161. Give your vehicle information and location. You'll be given some direction and 15 minutes to park.

PaTS' Communication Center line has someone available to help you 24/5 (weekdays from 5:00 AM continuously through 10:00 PM Friday). When in doubt, ASK, please!

Summer Parking

Summer parking permits are available for online purchase may be picked-up from the PaTS Office May 15.

If you bought a full-time permit in the fall or spring (Commuter, Resident, Greek Village, Faculty/Staff) your permit is good throughout summer (expiration is August 15).

Summer permits cost $110 per session (Summer 1 or 2) or $185 for both sessions.

Don't buy someone else's permit (or sell yours)

Unexpired full-time permits have a way of showing up on Twitter and Craigslist this time of year but UNC Charlotte parking permits may only be bought through PaTS. Permits are registered to a specific person and vehicle. Buying and then using a permit registered to someone else may subject you to fines and other penalties.

Questions?

Call the PaTS Call Center, 704-687-0161

or email pats@uncc.edu

We're also on Twitter, @unccparking.

Summer bus service

Here’s some welcome news for those taking classes or working on campus this summer: PaTS will be running 15-passenger shuttleson Red and Green Lines throughout the summer, May 15 - August 1 (except holidays when the University is closed) from 7 AM until 11:30 PM weekdays, 3:30 PM - 11:30 PM weekends.

Expect some temporary parking disruption/displacement this summer as capital construction projects begin and new license plate recognition and gate systems are installed. Follow @unccparking on Twitter for the latest information.

Which lots are closing and why
Lots 18 and 19 are closing permanently this summer.

Lot 18 is closing to expand the Union Deck, ultimately making up for the spaces that will be lost in Lot 19. The Union Deck will remain open, though there may be certain areas that are temporarily unavailable during construction.

Lot 19 is closing to make room for the new Health and Wellness Center – anticipated to open in fall 2019. This brand-new facility will feature multipurpose recreation courts, an indoor pool, fitness studios, an elevated running/walking track, plenty of cardio and strength training equipment, and more. Visit Recreational Services for Five Things You Need to Know about this new project.

Where to park instead
The closest alternatives are East Decks 2 and 3 and West Deck, areas which should easily accommodate demand during the summer months.

However, during fall and spring semester, East Decks 2 and 3 and West Deck are typically at capacity from 9:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m., Monday through Thursday. Those decks, and the lots closest to them, will likely fill even earlier in the 2017-18 academic year. Then, North Deck and CRI Deck will both be good parking alternatives even though they are the farthest from the center of campus. When classes begin in August, these decks will be served by greatly enhanced bus service – with expected wait times of eight minutes or less.

Shortly after the “all-campus” email went out with the subject line, “License plate recognition coming to parking permits,” call volume into the PaTS Communication Center spiked, as anyone would expect. This is a big change that will affect everyone who drives to class or work here.Here’s some background on why the system needed to change and how License Plate Recognition (LPR) was the system that PaTS and Business Services, after more than a year of research, decided to implement.

Timing is Everything

The need for change was chosen for PaTS when the manufacturer of the current radio frequency identification-based system pulled out of the industry and was no longer going to support the equipment. Gabe Gerber, systems analyst for Business Services, explains, “The company that made the hardware and software UNC Charlotte used was bought by a large conglomerate that ultimately decided not to reinvest in the product.”

Maintaining a defunct product without vendor support, parts, etc., is neither practical nor cost-effective. This presented PaTS with an opportunity to find something better that could keep up with campus growth and offer features that students, faculty and staff had been requesting.

“License plate recognition for enforcement is becoming popular for institutional use all across the country as the technology becomes more and more reliable and more cost-effective, “ says Doug Lape, PaTS director. “Using LPR for access control is somewhat new, but still used in a number of instances throughout the world, with a handful of locations in Uptown Charlotte. The linking of the two [enforcement with access control] is, well, on the leading edge of technology.”

Gerber believes it makes good sense to leverage LPR technology to do both. “Why pay to make, distribute and manage a parking credential [permit] when you bring one with you on your vehicle every day? Your license plate is identifying documentation. And we also have the 49er ID Card, so there’s the benefit of having your ID as secondary credential if there’s ever a problem with the LPR.”

Advantages

For students, the pain of standing in line to buy or pick up your parking permit is OVER. No more having to get your permit before classes start or pay visitor parking fees on the first day of class until you got that permit in your hand. Now you’ll be able to go online, set up a UNCCMyPark account, register your vehicle information and instantly have parking permissions linked to your license plate and to your 49er ID Card.

Waiting for a financial aid refund before you can purchase a permit? The new parking system’s mobile interface allows you to buy temporary daily permits through an app or web portal. No permit line; no having to pay the hourly rate in a visitor deck.

For YEARS students have requested that permits be available for purchase by the semester. With LPR, you will now be able to buy your student permit for the year or for each semester or summer term. Those who know they will need to commute all year can save a little time and money by purchasing a full-time annual permit at the beginning of the academic year. At the same time, a student who is graduating in December doesn’t have to pay the full $450 for an annual permit, return it to the PaTS office after Commencement, and then wait for that prorated refund. Beginning this fall, they’ll be able to purchase a semester permit, which will get them to graduation.

Changing vehicles or driving a rental car for a few days will no longer require a trip to the PaTS office. Updating your information can be done through an app, web portal or with a phone call.

The new system is flexible and expandable. Look for customer-friendly features in the future, like real-time space counts so you’ll know exactly what decks and lots have availability when you arrive on campus.

But there’s this one thing…

LPR does require a clear license plate view from the drive lane adjacent to the parking space; backing into a parking space hides the plate so that will draw a citation unless:

Your tags are from a state that issues both front and rear plates (and both plates are properly displayed)

You purchase an optional LPR-readable UNC Charlotte plate for the front of your vehicle. PaTS has sourced a product that works well with the LPR cameras. They are expected to sell for $30. This plate is potentially just a one-time expense; it is valid for as long as it's legible and your state-issued license plate number remains the same.

Will the change to LPR make permit prices go up?

Permit prices for full-time permits will be the same for 2017-18, which makes the fourth year in a row without an increase.

The primary factor that determines permit price is the cost of new deck construction and replacing flat lots with decks. As existing surface lots make way for new buildings and those spaces are replaced with decks (as per campus Master Plan), permit cost go up accordingly because parking is self-supporting.* A rate increase may be necessary by 2018-19 to support the University’s continued growth, but we won’t know that for sure until sometime in 2018.

Change is never easy

“We all need to be aware that the introduction of any new system will have some bumps,” says Lape. “But I’m confident that once campus gets used to it, the benefits will be evident.”

For specifc questions about virtual permits or parking at UNC Charlotte, the PaTS Communications Center is available 24-hours on weekdays (5 a.m. Monday – 10 p.m. Friday), or you can write pats@uncc.edu. We’re also on Twitter, @unccparking.

Santa Fe NM: Jaime Clinton, Executive Sous Chef for Catering, represented UNC Charlotte well at the Southern Regional Conference of the National Association of College and University Food Services (NACUFS) Culinary Challenge event, held last week at the University of New Mexico. She took second place in her first time competing.

The NACUFS Culinary Challenge is the conference’s headliner event, designed to showcase outstanding food preparation and presentation skills in collegiate dining services. Chefs are chosen to compete based on their original recipe for a main protein chosen by conference leadership, which this year, was pork. As contestants, they are given one hour to prepare and plate their dish before a panel of American Culinary Federation-approved judges and an audience of observers. They must display requisite techniques and cuts in the process.

Although you wouldn’t know it from looking at the recipe, Chef Jaime characterizes her culinary style as simple. “Being from the South, I know what flavors go with pork,” she said with a chuckle. "The biggest challenge was working under the pressure of time. I didn’t want to overcook the pork; that destroys the flavor. You have to treat the pig well!”

Apparently she did so. Judges’ remarks state that her dish was colorful, had great flavor, and that the pork was cooked perfectly.

Reflecting on the experience, Chef Jaime said, “I’m not normally that competitive of a person, but there’s something about showing your skills and sharing your flavors that’s pretty cool. I can’t wait to do it again!”

“Jaime is an anchor for our campus culinary team,” said Jason Shillinglaw, Campus Executive Chef. “She brings creativity, excitement and an unparalleled work ethic every day. It was awesome to watch her work during the culinary competition. She managed her time well, worked extremely clean and put together a fantastic meal!”

Jaime Clinton has been serving UNC Charlotte for four years; two at Center Center and two at main campus. Her victory marks the third year in a row that a UNC Charlotte chef has brought a silver medal back to Charlotte.

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Of interest to foodies and aspiring chefs, here are some of the culinary techniques and cuts Chef Jaime displayed in preparation of her competition recipe :

UNC Charlotte Parking and Transportation Services has entered into an agreement with Gotcha Bike to bring bike sharing to campus. The program will launch later this Spring with 100 Gotcha™ bikes and 10 rack corrals located in strategic points around campus.

"Bike sharing is part of PaTS' long-term transportation demand management plan to provide transportation alternatives for faculty, staff, students and visitors," said Helena Connors, PaTS Transportation Manager. "The Gotcha program is a natural, sustainable addition to current options such as campus shuttle service and car sharing by Zipcar™."

Information about how to join the program and use the bikes to come. Check for updates at pats.uncc.edu/bike.

About Gotcha Bike

Gotcha Bike provides bike share programs at 18 college, residential and corporate campuses across the U.S. Gotcha Bikes are the nation’s smartest, thanks to Gotcha Bike’s partner, Social Bicycles, and proprietary GPS technology that allows users to locate and access the bikes via a smartphone or computer. Durability features of the specially made bikes include lightweight and rustproof aluminum frames, waterproof Kevlar seats, belt drives and puncture-resistant tires, which offer a maintenance-free smart bike.

The bikes’ integrated technology and flashing safety lights are powered through a built-in solar panel and dynamo hub, giving riders real-time data, such as carbon dioxide emissions reduced, calories burned and money saved versus driving. Gotcha Bike has saved its users more than $46,400 on gas, maintenance and other transportation expenses across 18 markets since first launching in 2015.

Parking and Transportation Services does space counts a few weeks into every semester to check that parking supply is sufficient for demand. These counts also inform planning for future parking facilities. All parking designations are counted: resident and commuter students, facutly/staff, visitors, ADA parking, etc., but because students are the population for whom most of campus parking is designated, the following information focuses on decks and lots open to those with student permits.

Student parking at a glance

Student parking by the numbers

Here are the numbers for Spring 2017, Monday - Thursday.*

Italicized entries are areas most likely to be filled between 9:30AM-11AM.

Boldentrieshave the most parking to spare throughout the day.

Student Parking Space Count, Spring 2017

Location

Total Available

Unoccupied 10:00 AM

Unoccupied 12:00 PM

Unoccupied 2:00 PM

Unoccupied 4:00 PM

Unoccupied 6:00 PM

Lot 26 (at FM/Police)

86

0

7

2

32

65

North Deck

1171

652

601

610

673

754

Lot 25 (across from Witherspoon)

483

88

75

62

121

164

Lot 19 (by Union Deck)

261

1

2

1

26

38

Lot 18 (by Union Deck)

92

0

0

4

25

36

Union Deck

682

15

7

36

240

317

CRI Deck 1

1318

795

796

787

961

1176

CRI Lot 2

129

0

2

3

39

111

Lot 23 (CRI by stadium)

180

0

10

2

16

84

Lot 14 (by Tennis complex)

22

1

1

0

7

13

West Deck

761

37

23

51

166

423

Lot 7A (Memorial Hall)

37

0

1

1

10

25

Lot 7 (behind Cone Deck)

112

0

2

4

2

11

Lot 101 Foundation Bldg.

61

31

28

27

35

50

South Village Deck

1100

196

152

184

268

321

Lot 8 (by So.Village Deck)

245

0

0

9

12

6

Lot 8A

52

0

1

0

0

0

Lot 16 (Oak, Pine, Maple, Elm)

118

0

0

1

4

5

Lot 20 (behind Witherspoon)

105

0

0

1

0

0

Lot 21 (beside Witherspoon)

133

1

0

1

1

2

Lot 12 (NE corner Mary Alex & Cameron)

51

0

1

3

11

43

Lot 13 (Hawthorn)

138

1

2

1

4

4

Greek Village

330

107

114

121

133

141

Lot 6 (off Martin Village Rd.)

602

286

136

198

292

377

Lot 5 (Van Landingham Rd.)

580

26

33

87

211

313

Lot 5A (Van Landingham)

251

87

47

66

138

108

Lot 4A (Van Landingham at John Kirk)

127

14

18

27

66

108

East Deck 3

811

122

108

193

383

591

East Deck 2

518

8

20

45

126

164

TOTAL

10,556**

2,468

2,187

2,527

4,002

5,450

*Counts taken over a two week period of normal class schedule (no holiday/break). ** Student parking space total. Does not include Faculty/Staff gated access, reserved, ADA/van accessible/handicapped, motorcycle, metered, visitor or discount remote parking. Campus total 13,931. Note: CRI Deck I is a mixed use facility on every level (available equally to Commuters, Faculty/Staff and Visitors and, after 6 PM, to those with Resident permits.)

Main points for Commuters:

Everyone wants to park as close as they can to their class and most classes are scheduled from about 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. Therefore, more students are trying to park in the same places at the same time. Competition is stiff.

Take a look at the Commuter parking areas in bold. They are generally the least crowded and every one of them has a shuttle stop.

It feels counterintuitive to park farther away from where you're going but just try it ONCE. You will likely find it doesn't take much longer and that it's less stressful to easily find parking in a lower-demand area and take the shuttle or walk to class. Once you've tried an alternative parking area, it won't feel as annoying to park there on days when your preferred parking is full.

Download the UNCCNextRide app or access the NextRide mobile web site you view where the shuttle is and when it will get to your stop.

There's NO REASON to park illegally in a full lot or deck and risk getting a citation

It's pointless to circle a full deck or lot. Students do not generally come-and-go in steady streams but in hour-and-a-half bursts based on when classes begin and end. A full deck or lot at 9:30 a.m. will likely remain so until around 12:30 p.m. or so.

A sweet way to send love and greetings from Niner Nation!

REPROS Copy Center, Union Station, and Mail & Package Services have Niner Nation Valentine's Day postcards available, free for the asking, while supplies last. REPROS and Mail & Package Services are located on the lower level of Prospector building; Union Station is on the main level of the student Union.

Limit 4 per person, please

Both Mail & Package Services and Union Station have postcard stamps for purchase

Union Station is also taking balloon orders for February 14. Themed mylar balloons and balloon bouquets are available

Print and cut Valentines

Here's a PDF for those who want print-and-cut Valentine messages to give away personally. Great for school kids and little 49ers!

CRI Campus just got smarter!

A Smart Market self-checkout retail spot has opened in room 1209 of the EPIC building. What makes it smart? It's filled with fuel that thinking people need, like fresh coffee brewed by the cup, snacks, energy and soft drinks, grab-and-go meals and sandwiches. And it's powered by infrared, thumbprint recognizing, multi-camera technology to make shopping simple and secure (and very cool). Over 300 products are available, whenever the building is open.

"I'm extremely excited to have a SmartMarket here," said Rick Torres, vending program manager for UNC Charlotte Auxiliary Services. "Student and staff requests and our own surveys indicated both desire and need for a quick service food and beverage venue on the CRI-side of campus. And because so many people work in labs at off-hours and late at night, the concept would ideally need to accommodate them, too. Smart Market is a perfect fit!"

How Smart Market works

Use a credit or debit card at the main kiosk or at any door. Just swipe and start shopping! Your cart will follow you throughout the entire shopping trip, going from one cooler door to the next until you’re ready to check out. As selections are made, the system tracks the items you pick up using patented infrared technology, displaying your shopping cart at each door. Adding items to the cart does not commit you to buy; there's plenty of time to browse and change your mind. The system only charges for items that you take away.

Once your shopping is complete and choices are collected, visit the main kiosk to review your order, print a detailed receipt, or simply walk away. Each transaction closes out within sixty seconds.

If you prefer to pay with cash or plan to visit Smart Market often, create an account at the kiosk or online at www.smartmkt.com. There, you will be able to access transaction history, make account updates or add funds online at any time. When shopping, you will be able to use your fingerprint, account card, QR code via the mobile app, or your username.

More about EPIC's Smart Market

Offers snacks, drinks and meals, including more nutritious options

Starbucks premium coffee, ground and brewed fresh by the cup

The 49er Account (which resides on the UNC Charlotte 49er ID card) will be available to use in the near future.

Torres is pleased to say that EPIC's Smart Market is among the first of its type to be installed on a college campus. During the first few weeks of operation, it will be serviced daily and data will be gathered about what items are most popular and which items need replenishing less often. "If users have requests for specific items, I invite them to let me know," says Torres. "Smart Market is a new model that has potential to evolve and adapt to the community it serves in ways far superior to standard vending concepts." (Email ricktorres@uncc.edu)